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No, it definitely wasn't a stolen credential. It's just ~$15/month for 4-5 years, which I didn't notice due to changing banks and an international move. Once m

by rmtech 6y ago

No, it definitely wasn't a stolen credential. It's just ~$15/month for 4-5 years, which I didn't notice due to changing banks and an international move. Once my account was dry I found out via the bank (+associated bank charges on top, of course)

tssva 6y ago
I'm confused. Your original post says you received a $500 surprise bill but this comment implies they were billing and withdrawing funds monthly from your bank account. Which was it?
- rmtech 6y ago
  It was a surprise because I was not monitoring the relevant account. The funds were being withdrawn month-to-month.
  - rmtech 6y ago
    (though a portion is outstanding)
yongjik 6y ago
Well, if AWS was drawing $15/mo for 4 years from your banking account, as far as they knew you were a happy paying customer. How would they know otherwise? Sounds like you got in a particularly unlucky situation, but I don't think most companies will react sympathetically to "Oops my monthly subscription during the past 4 years was entirely by mistake and I didn't notice that until now. Can you refund the 4 years' worth of money?"
- naniwaduni 6y ago
  IME companies of that scale generally eat consumer-level buyer's remorse as a cost of doing business. Happily, probably not, but not enough to be worth resisting.
  - rmtech 6y ago
    It's not really buyer's remorse if I didn't actually buy anything. I tried a free trial service, as far as I can remember just for an hour or so, and didn't need it. You may not like this, but I'm posting my experience so that others can protect themselves. Do you at least see the utility in that?
- rmtech 6y ago
  Well the fact that I wasn't using any services, wasn't logging in, wasn't running anything except a default t2 instance is indicative. But also there is IMO a reasonable expectation of a confirmation moving from free to paid service.
davismwfl 6y ago
I get it sucks to be out the money, but in the end you accepted the terms and are responsible for the bill. I honestly feel you should be more upset with yourself (I would be if I was in your shoes) for not managing your accounts and money more closely and not upset with a company that you were consuming services from, even if you weren't meaning to. AWS owes you nothing in this scenario, IMO, I'd take it as a learning experience that at least wasn't more expensive. I do think your telling other people to be careful of the terms they might have blindly accepted is totally reasonable, but where I at least found your original post kinda off is you are not taking responsibility for your mistake and instead are blaming Amazon. Just my 2 cents.
- rmtech 6y ago
  "If you're really careful and watch them like a hawk, AWS won't steal from you" - sure, but that's a low standard and I'd like to see it raised over time with new legislation.

by rmtech 6y ago

tssva 6y ago

I'm confused. Your original post says you received a $500 surprise bill but this comment implies they were billing and withdrawing funds monthly from your bank account. Which was it?

rmtech 6y ago
It was a surprise because I was not monitoring the relevant account. The funds were being withdrawn month-to-month.
- rmtech 6y ago
  (though a portion is outstanding)

yongjik 6y ago

Well, if AWS was drawing $15/mo for 4 years from your banking account, as far as they knew you were a happy paying customer. How would they know otherwise? Sounds like you got in a particularly unlucky situation, but I don't think most companies will react sympathetically to "Oops my monthly subscription during the past 4 years was entirely by mistake and I didn't notice that until now. Can you refund the 4 years' worth of money?"

naniwaduni 6y ago
IME companies of that scale generally eat consumer-level buyer's remorse as a cost of doing business. Happily, probably not, but not enough to be worth resisting.
- rmtech 6y ago
  It's not really buyer's remorse if I didn't actually buy anything. I tried a free trial service, as far as I can remember just for an hour or so, and didn't need it. You may not like this, but I'm posting my experience so that others can protect themselves. Do you at least see the utility in that?
rmtech 6y ago
Well the fact that I wasn't using any services, wasn't logging in, wasn't running anything except a default t2 instance is indicative. But also there is IMO a reasonable expectation of a confirmation moving from free to paid service.

davismwfl 6y ago

I get it sucks to be out the money, but in the end you accepted the terms and are responsible for the bill. I honestly feel you should be more upset with yourself (I would be if I was in your shoes) for not managing your accounts and money more closely and not upset with a company that you were consuming services from, even if you weren't meaning to. AWS owes you nothing in this scenario, IMO, I'd take it as a learning experience that at least wasn't more expensive. I do think your telling other people to be careful of the terms they might have blindly accepted is totally reasonable, but where I at least found your original post kinda off is you are not taking responsibility for your mistake and instead are blaming Amazon. Just my 2 cents.

rmtech 6y ago
"If you're really careful and watch them like a hawk, AWS won't steal from you" - sure, but that's a low standard and I'd like to see it raised over time with new legislation.